One Piece Chapter 1138: New Mythology Teaser Sets the Stage for the Final War

ONE PIECE dropped Chapter 1138 today, confirming the connection between Shanks and Shamrock Figarland and teasing the great final war involving the Straw Hat Grand Fleet and allies. You can read the chapter on the VIZ website or the MANGA Plus website. 

Beware of ONE PIECE Chapter 1138 spoilers below.

Shanks and His Family

It didn’t take long after the last chapter’s teaser to get to Shanks’ connection with Shamrock and the Figarland Family. Loki straight out calls out the similarity at the start of ONE PIECE Chapter 1138, asking what the deal is. Shamrock confirms that Shanks is his younger twin brother who went astray and got too attached to the pirate world. Interestingly, he also mentions that Shanks had temporarily returned to the Holy Land at some point.

We also get to see that his sword is called Cerberus, seemingly using the Devil Fruit of the same name. Shanks’ sword is called Gryphon. He ends up leaving the sword to face Loki, giving him a chance of survival and telling him to feel free to hunt him down if he succeeds.

We saw Luffy convinced that Shanks wasn’t the guy who took down the giants, while some of the others weren’t so sure. However, the main reveal of the chapter happened elsewhere with Franky.

Oda’s First Hint at The Final War and Its Historical Significance

In ONE PIECE Chapter 800, seven powerful pirate crews, each led by prominent figures who allied with Luffy during Dressrosa’s events, pledged their loyalty to him, forming the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. The Fleet consists of:

• Cavendish and the Beautiful Pirates
• Bartolomeo and the Barto Club
• Sai and the Happo Navy
• Ideo and the XXX Martial Arts Alliance
• Leo and the Tontatta Pirates
• Orlumbus and the Yonta Maria Grand Fleet
• Hajrudin and the New Giant Warrior Pirates

Together, they number over 5,600 members. Most importantly, they swore an oath that would eventually drag them into a major incident that “would go down in history.” Note that they swore the oath despite Luffy not drinking from his cup, signifying they were also free to follow him just as he is free to do whatever he wants as he gets closer to his dream.

The Mythology Teaser and its Connection to the Final War

In One Piece Chapter 1138, an ancient prophecy was revealed when Franky followed Ripley. The mural details three separate world ages:

The First World

Within the earth there was fire.
Mankind succumbed to greed and touched the forbidden sun.
The enslaved prayed, and the sun god appeared.
The earth god raged, and with its serpent of hellfire, shrouded the world in death and darkness.
And they will never meet.

This likely refers to Joy Boy’s rebellion against the ruling gods and the catastrophe that followed. The “serpent of hellfire” might symbolize Pluton or another Ancient Weapon which was used in the conflict that led to the Void Century, which seems to be symbolically explained as the “death and darkness.”

The Second World

Within the void there was breath.
The forest god tamed demons and the sun spread the fires of war.
Those of the half-moon dreamed.
Those of the moon dreamed.
Man killed the sun and became god, and the sea god stormed.
And they will never meet.

This could reference Noland’s era, where failed attempts to bring the ‘Dawn’ led to further conflicts. The “sea god stormed” might represent the origin of Devil Fruits and their curse of granting power while severing ties to the sea. Noland’s time was also around 400 years ago, set roughly between the Void Century and the present time.

The Third World

Within the chaos there was emptiness.
The inconvenient remnants recall the promised day and hear the voice of the half-moon.
The sun god dances and laughs, guiding the world to its end.
The sun returns and brings a new morning.
And they will surely meet.

This definitely refers to Luffy and his dream of becoming the King of the Pirates. This has long been expected to involve Luffy’s real dream beyond becoming the King of the Pirates, which would unite all the major races in a final war against the real villain.

Some connections between the prophecy from ONE PIECE Chapter 1138 and the present time:

1. Luffy as the “Reborn Sun”
   • With the revelation that Luffy’s Devil Fruit is the Hito Hito no Mi: Model Nika, he has been confirmed as the reincarnation of the Sun God Nika.
   • The prophecy’s statement “Surely, this time, they will meet” suggests that everything is now in place for the long-awaited final battle.
2. The Grand Fleet’s Role in the “Final Act”
   • The image of warriors gathering around a central figure mirrors the Straw Hat Grand Fleet’s oath.
   • Luffy’s allies, including the Grand Fleet, the Samurai of Wano, the Revolutionaries, and the remnants of Whitebeard’s and Roger’s legacies, aligns with the idea of warriors uniting for the world’s “New Dawn,” which has been a recurring theme in the series since the start.
3. The Conflict Against the Gods (Imu and the Celestial Dragons)
   • The First and Second World stories reference defiance against divine rule, fitting the ongoing conflict against the World Government and Imu.
   • The World Government’s desperate efforts to destroy Joy Boy’s legacy (targeting Luffy, Pluton, Shirahoshi, and the Poneglyphs) suggest they fear the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Direct Connections Between the Mural’s Imagery and Story

The figures and creatures in the new mural from ONE PIECE Chapter 1138 seem to stand for the major players in the ONE PIECE world, and here are some theories of what they could represent:

Historical Parallels

The ONE PIECE world has often repeated history, with figures like Joy Boy and Gol D. Roger attempting to bring change but failing, the former for mysterious reasons and involving Zunesha’s ‘sin,’ and the latter due to being “too early.” The Grand Fleet’s formation and Luffy’s ascension to Nika suggest that it may be time to break the cycle.

Some of the main parallels:

• Joy Boy’s failure to keep his promise (Void Century) -> Roger discovering Laugh Tale but being too early (his era) -> Luffy arriving at the right time.
• Noland’s failed attempt to bring the “Dawn” to Jaya as an early hint of the larger battle to come. (Another reminder that no one should skip the Skypiea Arc.)
• The Grand Fleet’s great incident is foreshadowed as the point where everything converges.

Given everything, ONE PIECE’s final war is expected to include multiple factions:

• Straw Hat Grand Fleet & Revolutionary Army vs. World Government & Imu
• Ancient Weapons (Poseidon, Pluton, Uranus) activated
• Elbaf’s giants, the remnants of Whitebeard’s allies, and other allies Luffy made during the series
• Shanks is also a mystery and might be on his own agenda of attaining the “One Piece”
• Blackbeard and his unknown agenda, possibly tying into the role of the Sea God’s wrath due to his multiple fruits and seeming escape from the Devil Fruits’ curse

Conclusion: The Final War Is Almost Here

The formation of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet was a setup for the largest war in ONE PIECE’s history. It happened over 10 years ago in Chapter 800 of the manga (September 2015)! With Luffy’s identity as Nika confirmed, the reveals of the history, and the Grand Fleet’s eventual “great incident,” Eiichiro Oda has set the stage for an epic climax of the iconic series.

Note that he previously said the manga would end in 4-5 years in August 2020. We are bound to see everything unravel soon, and we can already be sure Oda will deliver an epic conclusion.

The anime previously announced an April 6, 2025 return with a new key visual and trailer at last month’s Jump Festa, while the special edited version of the Fish-Man Island Saga is currently taking its place.

There is also the upcoming remake by WIT Studio, as well as the 2nd season of the live-action series, which recently revealed announced a LEGO collaboration and is set to premiere later this year.

Featured image: © Eiichiro Oda / Shueisha, Toei Animation